Surgeon

52

Single

21 Regent Street, Nottingham

NUWSS

Complies

Sarah was born in Tipperary and from an early age was determined on a medical career at a time when this was seen as eccentric if not improper for a woman. She studied in London but took a qualification in Scotland as London did not award degrees to women. She moved to Nottingham and became the City’s first woman GP facing bitter opposition and hostility. In 1899 she was appointed to the Women’s Hospital and became assistant surgeon in charge of outpatients. Her male colleagues viewed her with mistrust and for a year insisted that a male colleague be present whenever she administered an anaesthetic. She applied to take charge of inpatients but was refused the position being told that her qualifications, despite being the highest open to women, were not high enough. Age 40, she took her FRCSI and in 1902 was appointed surgeon to Nottingham and Notts Convalescent home, medical examiner to the Board of Education, the Education Committee, and surgeon to the Girl’s evening Homes. Sarah was involved with the NUWSS and the National Union of Women Workers. On 1st June 1910, she presided over the NUWSS AGM at the Mikardo café. Her association with the law abiding NUWSS makes it unsurprising that Sarah complied with the 1911 census and did not take part in the boycott of it by some campaigners that year. In 1921-2 Sarah was elected the first president of Nottingham Medico-Chirurgical Society. She was a pioneer among medical women, and against the prevailing times was nonetheless finally recognised for her outstanding abilities. Researched and contributed by the Nottingham Women's History group www.nottinghamwomenshistory.org.uk. Sources: No Surrender! Women's Suffrage in Nottinghamshire, Rowena Edlin-White (Ed.) Nottingham Women's History Group ISBN:978-1-900074-31-5; www.nottinghamhospitalshistory.co.uk/page83.html